Some toy vehicles try to simulate real vehicles for entertainment value. More imaginary toy vehicles try to provide features never seen in real vehicles for entertainment value. One form of imaginary toy vehicle is a large, motorized wheel.
A first type of motorized wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,026. Here, two generally cylindrical, hollow wheels are connected together with their circular open ends facing each other to give the appearance of one large single wheel having a central groove in its circumferential outer (road) surface. Each cylindrical wheel contains its own drive motor, the motors being mounted in a central support structure substantially or essentially surrounded by the two wheels. The central support structure further mounts a power supply also surrounded by the two wheels and an antenna which extends outwardly from the support member and between the wheels to form a “tail” extending from the middle of the large, single wheel.
A second type of motorized wheel toy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,156. A large single wheel houses a motor mounted to drive an axle through the center of the wheel. The internal chassis with the motor is weighted so as to drop as low as possible on the axle so the motor and chassis resist internal rotation while the wheel is rotated by the motor.
Neither type of wheel is known to be able to perform any stunts. It is believed that a different single wheel type of toy having a different construction and operation would have significant new and different entertainment value than existing toys and that value would be increased if the toy had other performance capabilities.